Posts Tagged ‘Graffiti’

Although I wasn’t initially familiar with the name “Frank Kozik”, the mustachioed rabbits, er labbits, that have been appearing around town did seem familiar. Around a year ago I was introduced to Kozik’s work through some of the design sites that I visit on a daily basis, but forgot about the showcase of his work, which included his labbits. Thanks to a Medicine Hat Media commentator we now know that the rabbits that were appearing around town were not your average rabbits, they were labbits by Frank Kozik.

Frank Kozik is not a Canadian, and possibly has never even been to the Hat, let alone Alberta. So I’m kind of breaking the mold a little bit here by doing a non-Alberta/Medicine Hat related Art Exposure edition. But a fan of his work lives in this city, and out of whatever motivation spray paints his iconic labbits around town. Why? Boredom? The thrill? Either way, I like it because it is a form of expression different from the typical gang-graffiti that loses itself in its esoteric representation – the labbits, on the other hand, represent something visual and iconic. But let me backtrack a little bit: I am not condoning graffiti in any way, shape, or form. All that I am saying is that I see more merit in this type of graffiti than the standard swear word/gang signature. It is still vandalism and will still get removed, there’s no way around that.

I am sure many people in Medicine Hat have witnessed the large amount of Rabbit-with-moustache graffiti that has sprung up over the last half a year or so around town.

The graffiti can be seen in a number of places, including:

Under the Trans Canada bridge on 13th Ave

Mary Browns

Stop sign by Superstore

Building facades along Kingsway

Concrete barriers and power boxes on Dunmore road (some have been removed)

My original suspicion was that the rabbit-with-moustache stencil was made by someone in the Visual Communications program at the Medicine Hat College. I was later told by a friend of Medicine Hat Media’s that there was also a spraypainting of the stencil in one of the bathrooms at the College, which justifies my suspicion.

Unfortunately I do not have an image of the rabbit-with-moustache because I do not have a camera, but if you see it, you will immediately recognize it. Somebody send in some pictures!